“The heat is going to be a bit more widespread. More places across central southern England will see high 20s and low 30s, whereas last Thursday and Friday it was really just the South East.

“It looks like it’s going to stay very warm through much of August, temperatures are going to be generally quite a bit above average for the whole month.”

Although the heatwave is set to continue, it should be punctuated by cool, fresh spells similar to the weekend, said Mr Burkill, adding: “If it’s fresher weather you’re after don’t give up all hope for August.”

Two photos taken on Sunday July 29 (top) and Wednesday July 25 (below), showing the changing weather conditions at Bournemouth beach in Dorset (PA)

By contrast, the north and west will be cooler and see cloudier weather with a risk of showers.

But temperatures are set to remain above average, with much of Scotland and Northern Ireland set to enjoy temperatures in the low 20s as the week progresses.

The UK suffered a long heatwave during the summer of 1976, which helped make July 1976 the joint ninth driest on record.

Currently, July this year is the 13th driest on record, the Met Office said.

The driest ever July was in 1955, when an average of 30.6mm rainfall was measured across the UK.